Balmoral Scones

(Adapted from Royal Style, 1988)

Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Virginia this week for a round of walkabouts to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Remember, when you meet, she will extend her hand to you to shake and she speaks first. A curtsey is not necessary.

If you don’t get a chance to meet Her Majesty, you can still raise a cuppa in her honor. Don your garden party hat and bake some scones, using this recipe from the kitchens at Balmoral.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup of sugar

4 tablespoons cold butter

1/3 cup currants

1 egg, beaten with

1 table spoon plus 1 teaspoon milk

Process:

Sift the flour, salt and soda together into a large bowl. Next, thoroughly mix in the sugar. Cut the butter into the flour with two knives to create a course, crumbly mixture. Add the currents and the egg and milk, reserving a spoonful to glaze the scones. Stir the dough into a soft ball, then turn onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a circle about ¾ of a inch thick. With a sharp knife, slice into eight wedges and place on a foil-covered baking sheet. Brush the tops with the reserved egg-and-milk. Bake at 450 for ten minutes.

Serve piping hot with some strawberry jam. And for a serious treat, spread the scones with clotted cream, available at Whole Foods. The thick cream doesn’t keep for long—essentially the day you open it, you eat it. So invite a friend and have a tea party!